Short Summary

Description

Torrential rains lashed the Pacific coast of Japan on Sunday (11 July), causing landslides and severe flooding. By Monday morning (12 July) the death toll stood at eight with 14 injured. Eight other people were listed as missing.

SYNOPSIS: Nearly 5,000 houses were reported to be destroyed or flooded and self-defence forces were called out to try and provide the homeless with water and foodstuffs. Three patrol boats were also sent to the area with special relief equipment and more provisions. Engineers have been airlifted into the region to start the work of constructing temporary bridges and to ensure that no dangerous buildings are left standing. A few hundred holiday-makers were stranded overnight as the flood waters rose.

The city of Shimoda was very badly hit and awl public services came to a halt. The whole city was totally isolated for a short time as roads and railways disappeared beneath the rushing waters. But some members of the self-defence force managed to get through as the raid began to ease and the flood waters fell. Although many buildings weren't structurally damaged, most of the things inside them were completely ruined.